Pub operator and restaurateur Charlie McVeigh is targeting an early 2011 launch for Draft House number four, having just exchanged contracts on a third site at London’s Tower Bridge.
McVeigh, who is a partner with Rowley Leigh in Le Café Anglais, revealed plans to roll out The Draft House concept across the capital at the start of the year.
The Tower Bridge site on the corner of Queen Elizabeth Street was trading as River Bar Corner, part of the Market Taverns Group, and McVeigh plans to reopen it as a Draft House in August.
The site has a large bar area with a 45-cover dining room at the back, as well as a private-dining room able to seat 80 in the basement.
Design duties will be handled by architects Stiff & Trevillion, who have worked on previous Draft House sites as well as Jamie’s Italian.
Food and beer matching
McVeigh told BigHospitality that that the new site would be his most food focused yet, with the seasonal British menu set to feature specific beer and food matching recommendations for the first time.
The range of speciality beers on offer, served in half, pint and third of a pint measures, will also be increased.
“We’ll be revising the menus at our three sites to tie in with the launch,” McVeigh said. "Many gastro pubs are dubious about carrying pub classics on their menu but we look to celebrate them, put them centre and try to up the quality.
“We sell a lot of steaks and burgers and the new menu will see also some New York influences creeping in, such as proper hot-dogs and possibly a salt-beef bagel."
The opening is likely to create 20 jobs and an as yet unnamed chef from a gastro pub background is lined up to oversee the food operation.
McVeigh has aspirations to have 10 Draft House pubs.